Louis R. "Bill" Brandt

Louis R. “Bill” Brandt, 80, of Grants Pass, died Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at Three Rivers Community Hospital.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Mark Brandt Wall of Fame, c/o the Reinhart Volunteer All Sports Park, PO Box 443, Grants Pass OR 97528.

Viewing will be Thursday, May 24, 2007 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors.

Funeral services will be held Friday, May 25, 2007 at 1:00 p.m., at Calvary Lutheran Church, 909 NE A Street, with Reverend Don Carlson officiating. Military/Law Enforcement Honors will be rendered at the burial at Hillcrest Memorial Park immediately following the service.

He was born Louis Ray Brandt to Herman and Nora (Davis) Brandt on November 28, 1926 in Boerne, Texas. He attended school in Texas, and then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served from 1944 to 1949 in the 1st Marine Division during WWII, saw action in the South Pacific including the Solomon Islands, was in Iwo Jima as the flag was raised and was in the initial landing force during the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. He then served as a member of the occupation force in Tientsin, China. He played on a semi-pro baseball team with the Marine Corps and had the opportunity to play at Wrigley Field against the Chicago White Sox. On January 4, 1948 in Seguin, Texas he married the former Jean Hutchinson, who preceded him in death March 31, 2003. He worked as a patrol officer for the City of San Antonio, Texas; moved to Grants Pass in 1958; was a State Trooper with the Oregon State Police from 1960 to 1969 in the Grants Pass office; served as Josephine County Sheriff from 1970 to 1974 and worked for the Oregon Dept. of Corrections as a State Jail Inspector until his retirement in 1985.

He attended Calvary Lutheran Church, was a member National Sheriffs’ Association and past officer of the Republican Central Committee.

He was an avid fisherman and hunter and built drift boats for the Rogue River. He enjoyed vegetable gardening and was an active political analyst, keenly knowledgeable of local elections. He was an avid sports fan, especially enjoyed following the Grants Pass Cavemen, North Valley Knights and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.

Survivors include his daughter, Josephine County Circuit Court Judge Lindi Baker and her husband Buck of Grants Pass; Michael Brandt and his wife Shannon of Anchorage, Alaska; Matthew Brandt and his wife Jennifer of Boise, Idaho; five grandchildren, Brittany, Marcus and Noah Baker of Grants Pass; Zachary and Madelyn Brandt of Boise, Idaho.

He is preceded in death by his son Marcus “Mark” Brandt who died in a drowning accident on the Rogue River June 1, 1969.